Case study
DEPT® helps lift JBL's ROAS by 123% with frequency optimization using Amazon Marketing Cloud
DEPT® leveraged Amazon Marketing Cloud insights to help JBL optimize ad frequency and prevent audience overexposure, driving significant improvements in sales and their return on ad spend (ROAS).
key insights
123%
Increase in ROAS through AMC frequency optimization
115%
Sales growth by implementing strategic audience segments
19%
Higher detail page view rates (DPVR) through custom frequency caps
Goals
With over 75 years of pioneering audio excellence, JBL is a leader in creating professional sound systems for concerts, cinemas, and venues, while also producing consumer audio products like portable speakers and headphones. In 2019, they partnered with Amazon Ads Advanced partner DEPT®, a 50/50 tech and marketing services company with a team of 4,000+ AI-native specialists, and together they built a successful collaboration.
Despite having established campaign structures, JBL faced challenges in optimizing their return on ad spend (ROAS) across both consideration and reengagement strategies. They partnered with DEPT® to uncover and implement optimal ad frequency per user to balance reach and purchase intent and prevent overexposure to increase performance.
Approach
DEPT® developed a comprehensive insight-driven strategy centered on preventing audience overexposure while helping to maximize campaign impact. The team conducted an extensive 90-day frequency analysis using Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) to determine the optimal number of ad exposures per user that would help maximize both ROAS and detail page view rates. This analysis revealed clear thresholds beyond which additional exposures yielded diminishing returns.
In response, they created "frequency audience" segments within AMC to discover and exclude overexposed audiences. They then implemented a multi-layered approach, setting different frequency caps for consideration and reengagement campaigns while maintaining an overall exposure threshold across all strategies. By activating these audience exclusions across all Amazon DSP campaigns, they ensured advertising spend was directed toward audiences with the highest likelihood of purchasing, creating a scalable framework for ongoing optimization.
Jasper Quist, Manager Performance & Merchandising Indirect – EMEA, Harman InternationalAnyone aiming for success with Amazon Ads should partner with experts in AMC. Our results show that a finely tuned frequency cap saves budget and improves the user experience.
Results
After activating this strategy, the brand achieved exceptional outcomes across multiple performance metrics. ROAS increased 123%, helping create more efficient advertising.1 Sales grew 115%, showing significant improvement in revenue generation.2 Detail page view rates improved by 19%, indicating stronger shopping engagement.3 These comprehensive performance gains demonstrated the value of strategic AMC analysis and audience management.
Beyond the immediate performance gains, this approach helped build a more sustainable advertising strategy. The insights gained through AMC analysis created a foundation for continued performance improvements. This success established a repeatable framework for frequency optimization that could be applied across future campaigns and clients, showcasing the power of insight-driven decision making in advertising.
Sources
1–3 JBL, Germany, 2024.